History
Born during the Gold Rush of 1864, Helena is a rare town that’s managed to become a modern city while retaining the character of its early years: a perfect place to relive the Old West.
To begin following the footsteps of Helena's history, start at the Montana Historical Society Museum. Founded in 1865, the museum catalogs the rich history of the Treasure State and features works by the renowned cowboy artist Charlie Russell. (406) 444-4710. Visit http://montanahistoricalsociety.org.
By 1888, Helena was home to 50 millionaires—per capita, more than any other city on earth. Many of those millionaires created palatial homes in the city's Mansion District and you can still see them today. Among them is the Original Governor's Mansion, a Queen Anne style house that was built in 1888 and housed ten Montana Governors from 1913 to 1959. (406) 442-3115 (hours). (406) 444-4789 (group tours). The district is also home to the spectacular 230-foot spires of St. Helena Cathedral. (406) 442-5825.
Slightly north of the Mansion District, get a taste of 1870’s mining in Reeder’s Alley, a restored miner’s village featuring a restaurant and historic buildings housing shops and cafes. Helena's oldest house is also here: Pioneer Cabin. Built in 1864, it was constructed of hand-hewn logs and typifies the pioneer homes of that period. The cabin, at 212 S. Park Ave., is now a museum. (406) 443-7641.
Adjoining Reeder's Alley is Last Chance Gulch itself, and Helena's downtown business district built around the Gulch. This area, which includes a historic walking mall, takes its name from the prospectors who discovered gold here in 1864: the "Four Georgians" who decided the valley was their last chance before returning home. They struck gold, and started one of the largest gold rushes in the West. Roughly $3.5 billion worth of gold came out of the gulch in a 20-year period.
Overlooking the Gulch—and the entire city of Helena, the Old Fire Tower (built in 1876) is one of the few structures of its kind left in the United States. East of the Gulch, you can find the recently restored Greek Renaissance State Capitol building, which is topped with a massive copper dome. (406) 444-2511. Near the Capitol Building at Montana Historical Society Museum (see above), the Last Chance Tour Train departs for a spectacular one-hour tour of Helena—including all of the attractions mentioned here. (406) 442-1023. Visit http://www.lctours.com.
Fort Harrison, on the western edge of town, was the World War II birthplace of the U.S.-Canadian Special Services Force, immortalized in the war movie "The Devil's Brigade." It is now home to the Montana Military Museum.
(406) 841-3550.
